Conflict and Couscous
Plus where to donate and support
Jaafar Qassrawi’s family olive farm in Palestine, where I purchased olive oil online
It feels necessary to take a brief departure from the general themes in these essays and state how uncomfortable it has been to go about our normal lives with what is going on in the Middle East. It feels vulnerable to share the evolution of feelings I experienced since last Saturday.
After the initial attacks it was painful to see the images and stories of the Israeli suffering, but after a couple days, it became clear that there are war crimes and an impending genocide happening in Palestine. Gathering inspiration from seeing so many others speak out around me, I feel I must also speak out against the actions taken by the Israeli government as well. There is no question there are atrocities happening on both sides, but given the historical context and occupation of Palestine and the oppression of their population as part of the wider oppression of people of color by colonial powers, it’s become clear to me that not taking a stand is no longer acceptable.
Of everything I’ve seen on social media, this has resonated with me:
Not war, it’s colonialism
Not eviction, its ethnic cleansing
Not conflict, it’s occupation
Not complicated, it’s genocide
As a newsletter that writes about food and it’s connection to people and the planet, I wanted to learn more about Palestinian food culture and found a recipe using a grain called Maftoul, which as I started to read more about it, it become clear that Maftoul is the same as what many people today call Israeli couscous or Pearl couscous.
The origins of food is a much discussed topic and there are many dishes or ingredients that belong to more than one group or country, but in the case of naming a grain with mixed origins “Israeli couscous” this felt like erasure. As we have seen in the narratives of certain news outlets focused on the suffering of Israel while not naming the violence happening in Palestine, this too feels like erasure.
As stated perfectly in a Washington Post essay by Reem Kassis
Cultural diffusion is different from cultural appropriation. Diffusion is the result of people from different cultures living in close quarters and interacting with or learning from one another. Cultural appropriation, on the other hand, relies on exploitation and consequent erasure, followed by the willful denying of those actions. Food, after all, is an expression of history, culture and tradition. By this token, presenting dishes of Palestinian provenance as “Israeli” not only denies the Palestinian contribution to Israeli cuisine, but it erases our very history and existence.
Another great article on this topic is Israel-Palestine: How food became a target of colonial conquest by Joseph Massad.
As my expertise is not in the region or what is going on, I will direct you to follow either Jewish Voice for Peace or the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights or you can check out these organizations to donate: Medical Aid for Palestine or Middle East’s Children Alliance and a longer list here.
As a way to learn more about the history and food of Palestine, I ordered olive oil, Maftoul and olive spread from Canaan Palestine.
Gems of the Week 💎
It’s National Mushroom Day! As I work in the mushroom world it’s a big week for us offering free Fable mushroom tacos at Street Taco in the city and also there is an awesome Fungus Festival hosted by the New York Mycological Society today.
I learned about Cake Zine recently from my Food Writers group and was intrigued to find a DIY magazine looking a bit deeper into our obsession with beautiful cakes on social media and has created multiple themed zines that include art, poetry, fiction and recipes related to cake. You can also find them on Substack
.On Friday I finally had a chance to eat at the new location of Artie’s (formerly Arturo’s) which re-opened in a giant former car garage that operates as a cafe by day and buzzy restaurant by night. Yes, we did wait 45 minutes for a table on a Friday night, but the highlight of the meal was the Ricotta Crostini - I am still thinking about it. Please go try it.
The Crimes Behind the Seafood you Eat in the New Yorker - to be honest I haven’t read this whole piece yet but it’s happening today.
Questions to Ask Before Your Bar Mitzvah by Morgan Bassichis. You can think of this book as a an exploration and deep questioning of Judaism and a call for social justice.
This excellent guide to cooking beans by
and her famous Creamy White Beans with Herb Oil.
What I’m Cooking ✨
I made Split Pea Hummus from this recipe as a way to try something new. Tons of protein packed into those tiny peas.
I also made a Greek Yogurt Lemon and Caper Dip with the capers I brought back from Sicily
My own Magic Carrot Soup
and my all-time favorite Julia Turshen of
Greek Yogurt Jam Cake with Trader Joe’s Fig Butter.
Thank you!! ❤️❤️
Amazing newsletter! Such an important voice.